“I thought you were taking some guy.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “I don’t really feel like going with someone I don’t know. I’d have more fun with you. Constance wouldn’t care.”
“What do you plan to tell the dude?”
“I’ll probably make up something. Maybe use the word menstruation. That usually halts any questions.”
“That’ll do it. I usually go with the explosive diarrhea defense when I need to get out of something.”
“Ew, you’re gross, V.” He laughed, and she plugged in her straightener. “So will you go with me?”
“Yeah, all right. You want me to pick you up?”
“Sure.”
Vito arrived to pick her up around five. He looked nice in his suit. Weddings, well open-bar events, were the only things capable of making her brother dress up. The ceremony was by Constance’s father’s house on a farm in Lancaster and done on the bluff of a mountain overlooking what seemed to be a small Amish village.
After dinner, Destiny needed some air, so she returned to where the couple had said their “I do’s” and sat in the last chair by the altar staring out over the country as the sun faded from the sky.
Vito came out a while later and joined her. “Hey,” he said, handing her a beer.
“Hey.”
“You wanna go?”
She shrugged. “I’m the last of my friends who’s single.”
“It’s not that bad, D. You don’t have to answer to anyone, got no one telling you when to be home.”
Tears suddenly stung her eyes. “I want someone to care enough to want me home, though. I want to answer to someone. How is it everyone else has found someone nice and all I find are assholes? What’s wrong with me?”
“Hey, hey. Don’t do this to yourself, D. There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s all the men you date that are fucked up. You’re beautiful and sweet, and someday you’ll find Mr. Right.”
She sniffled and stifled the girliness suddenly erupting from her. Tears were so not Vito’s specialty. “You wanna know the weirdest thing?”
“What’s that?”
“I feel like I had it and I lost it.”
“With Adrian?” he asked, frowning.
She shook her head. “No, not with Adrian. With no one. I mean, other than Adrian there hasn’t been anyone, but this past year has been different. It isn’t the same. I was used to being single. Single I could do. But now, I feel like I somehow know what it’s like to care, and I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. That doesn’t make any sense, I know. Don’t listen to me. I probably had too much to drink.”
They sat silently for a while watching the sky fade from blue to purple and then a vibrant shade of pink. “It’s so pretty here,” Destiny mused.
“Yeah,” Vito agreed.
“I want to live here someday.”
He turned and scrutinized her for a minute. Shrugging he said, “Sure, if you don’t mind the smell of horse shit.”
She punched him in the arm.
Chapter 34
Dane stepped onto the hay loft and turned to help Maggie up. She climbed up the last step of the old rickety ladder and brushed out her skirts. A small piece of hay clung to the curls that had escaped her bonnet. He turned and surveyed the old barn.
Stepping carefully, he pressed his palm against one of the support beams. “This actually looks like it’s in pretty good shape.”
“My grandfather said it’s a good building. It’s one of the ones they built after first coming to America, so it has a lot of stone supports.”
He had noticed the stone. It wouldn’t be too difficult to turn it into a house. He had talked to Adam about it, and he said he would help with the flooring. There was an outhouse just out back. Larissa had spoken to the bishop, and Eleazar agreed to let him convert the barn so long as Dane took responsibility for the upkeep.
“Thanks for telling me about this, Maggie.”
“Sure.”
She smiled at him, her eyes appearing greener in the dim light of the barn. He reached up and gently untangled the piece of hay from her hair. He showed it to her before tossing it to the ground. A soft shade of pink crested her cheeks.
“Thanks.” Her hand fluttered to her bonnet. “I have terrible hair. It’s bulky and impossible to braid.”
“I like it.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty.”
Her cheeks turned another shade darker. “You know, there’s a—”
Whatever Maggie had been about to say was cut off by a creek and then a loud snap. The ground shifted, and they both lost their balance. The sound of fabric ripping followed by sharp pain in Dane’s leg was met with a view of the world rushing by and the fast sensation of falling. There was an awful clatter. Dust rose high over their heads, and his ass radiated pain from where he had hit the ground.
He coughed. “Maggie?” Particles of old wood, sand, and hay filled the air, making an odd sort of filter for the sunshine peeking through the high windows. The earth smelled musty.
Dane spotted the mauve of Maggie’s gowns under a pile of debris and moved to dig her out. His leg hurt. When he found her, her bonnet was gone and her eyes were closed. There was a smudge of dirt across her cheek.
“Shit. Maggie, are you all right?” Ignoring the pain in his leg, he turned and shook her shoulders. “Maggie, open your eyes.”
She moaned, and her lashes slowly fluttered open. She looked at him a moment and then smiled. “Guess the loft wasn’t as sturdy as I thought.”
He let out a relieved sigh. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. My backside’s just a little sore.” Her little nose perked up. “Are you bleeding?”
“I don’t know. I think I cut my leg. I might—you can smell that?”
She nodded and blushed. “You’ll learn to someday.” She sat up and pushed a large board out of the way. There was hay everywhere. “Your trousers are torn.”
He inspected his pants. There was a rip on the outside by his knee. He tore the fabric down to his ankle so he could see the damage to his body. She hissed when he exposed a long, deep gash running along his calf.
“Do you think I’ll need stitches?”
She frowned. “Of course not. You can just…”
“Just what?”
She shrugged, and her apron slid off her shoulder. “I was going to say you could feed, but I guess you don’t do that yet.”
His stomach turned. “You mean drink blood?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. Your body knows how to accept it. It will make you heal faster.”
“I find the thought repulsive.”
“I bet you like it. I heard that when a man feeds from a female it’s different.”
“Different how?”
She shrugged again. “Nice. Like kissing.”
“I don’t think I’m ready for that. I think I’d rather have the stitches.”
“You would prefer to have your flesh sewn back together than to drink blood?” she asked in a surprised voice.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m allowed to do that.”
She looked around. “Nobody’s here.”
He smirked. Maggie wasn’t like the other Amish girls he had met. She liked to toe the line of right and wrong and didn’t get overly emotional about things. “What if I get sick?”
“You won’t. You’re older than I was when I started feeding. Your body is probably begging for it.”
Dane thought for a minute. He knew from listening to the Hartzlers that Abilene fed from Jonas, but Gracie only fed from the animals. He didn’t think men and woman were supposed to do that. “Will it change me?”
“It will make you stronger.”
“But will I…turn?”
She shook her head. “No. A person needs to be drained in order to be transitioned. I can give you my blood, but I won’t take any of yours, just to be safe.”
He thought for a while longer. Should he?
Shouldn’t he? Maggie slowly moved to her knees and began removing pins from her gown. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to let you feed. Trust me, you’ll like it.” She exposed her neck and the soft ivory curve of her shoulder.
“But I don’t have fangs.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “Just be ready when it’s time. I need to get closer.” She scooted close to him, her skirts billowing over the black of his pants. “Ready?”
“I guess…”
Amazingly her nails extended right before his eyes and she quickly slashed a line of red at the side of her narrow throat. “Now, Dane.”
He leaned in and fastened his mouth over the cut. Warm liquid coated his tongue. It wasn’t as repugnant as he thought it would be. It hit his belly like something sweet and savory. Warm apple pie. He moved closer to be at a more comfortable angle and gently suckled.
The pain in his leg subsided as a new ache took its place. Maggie made a soft mew and tilted her head farther back. Without really thinking, Dane eased her onto the hay-covered ground and moved more on top of her. Her small hands held his shoulders, and his hips slowly rocked.
He was becoming aroused. He should stop, but he didn’t want to. It was like the most satisfying milkshake in the world, but warm and rich and flavored with Maggie. A trickle of warm liquid slid past his lips, and he knew he had taken enough. Reluctantly, he pulled away.
“You must lick it closed,” she rasped.
He did as she said and waited. The wound began to close. She turned her face, and her eyes had gone completely green. The pupils had become long slits. Her little pink tongue shot out and retrieved a drip of her own blood that had escaped his mouth. They stared at each other for a moment and then he was kissing her.
Her kisses were as inexperienced as his, but neither of them appeared to care. She tugged at his clothing and he tugged at hers. Her breasts were warm and filled his palms perfectly.
Her mouth moved to his neck, and she nipped him with her sharp little teeth. “Careful,” he warned and slid lower. He pulled one strawberry nipple into his mouth. Her breasts were amazing.
She moaned as he sucked on her pointed tips. He fit his body on top of hers, and her skirts were bunched up to her hips. Neither of them seemed to know what they were doing, but they were figuring it out.
She placed his hand between her legs. The fabric of her underclothes was damp. He fumbled with the ties, and she brushed his hand out of the way, quickly undoing the strings.
His hand worked its way past the opening and brushed the dewy thatch of hair between her legs. He had never gone this far with a girl, but he didn’t want to stop.
Maggie lifted and shifted so he could remove the underclothes. He wasn’t really sure how to touch a woman there.
Dane felt around for a few moments, acquainting himself with her body. He found her opening and gently pressed a finger inside of her. She moaned his name. He continued to stroke her softly, and she slowly writhed beneath him.
He wasn’t sure who had undone his pants, but her hands were now touching him the way he was touching her. He moved from her breasts to her neck to her mouth, all while their hands explored each other’s body. When he leaned up to kiss her again, his erection pressed at her warm center, and they both froze.
He looked into her green eyes. “Do you want to stop?” he whispered.
She was breathing fast. She nibbled her lip then shook her head. “No. I want to see what it’s like.”
He nodded. He wanted to see, too. Awkwardly, he reached down and lined his body up with hers. “Is this okay?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Her soft brow crinkled as he fit himself inside of her.
They moved around for a moment trying to figure out the most comfortable position. When he thought he was where he should be, he said, “Ready?”
“Yes.”
Dane pressed forward, and his length was engulfed in tight heat. Maggie’s eyes squeezed shut, and he moaned. Her body resisted him. “Should I stop?” God, he hoped she didn’t say yes.
“No, just…move.”
He did. His hips pulled back and he glided back into her, this time breaking away her body’s resistance. Maggie gave a sharp intake of breath, and then she was moving with him. The pleasure was intense and nothing like masturbating. She was so soft and warm. It didn’t last long.
When Dane sensed his body preparing to release, he began to panic. They hadn’t used a condom. He felt like a jerk for being so unprepared. They moaned and rocked as his strokes increased in speed. When his climax climbed up his length, he quickly withdrew and cupped himself in his hands. The mess was embarrassing and he wasn’t sure what to do about it.
Maggie handed him her bonnet, and he understood what she suggested. It didn’t work too well, but it was better than nothing.
They dressed in silence. Dane watched her slide back into her underclothes and spotted a small stain of blood on her shift. There was also blood on her collar from him feeding from her.
“Is your mom home?” The idea of anyone seeing Maggie in such a state didn’t sit well with him.
Maggie shrugged. “I’m twenty-two. She has no right to judge me.”
True, but he still didn’t want others knowing what they had done. He turned and adjusted his pants.
“Hey, we have the same birthmark.”
He looked over his shoulder. “What?”
“Look.” She turned and lifted the curtain of blonde curls hanging over her shoulders. At the base of her hairline was a little raspberry mark.
“Huh. That’s weird.” Dane shrugged.
They finished dressing, and Dane waited for Maggie to walk to the door. He wasn’t sure how to act now. Maggie was his friend. He didn’t have many friends, and he didn’t want to ruin their relationship.
He didn’t know if he should kiss her, or hug her, or just walk away. Luckily, her mother had called her, and she left in a hurry. She pecked him on the cheek, and that was fine.
Dane took the long way home. He felt good. He felt like a man. His mind played over the experience, and he decided that while it was nice, he and Maggie would be better as just friends. She wasn’t really the kind of girl he liked. Her eyes were too green and her hair was too light. Her lips weren’t quite the same pink shade as Gracie’s.
A sick feeling filled him when he thought about Grace. She couldn’t find out what he and Maggie had done. She would never forgive him. It would be tricky, keeping her out of his head. He would just have to do his best. Maybe he should avoid her for a while.
Avoiding Gracie was easy. Avoiding Maggie while working on the barn was a bit more difficult. She often stopped by to bring him lemonade and they usually ended up on the floor in the shadows half-dressed. The experiences with her following their first time were a lot less awkward. Dane was becoming familiar with her body and learning all the things that made her excited. He looked at his time with Maggie as a learning experience.
He missed Grace, but figured it was best to avoid her until he could stop thinking about Maggie. The barn was coming along great. And for the first time in a long time, Dane wasn’t so sad and lonely. Everything was working out. Until one day late June.
Maggie giggled as Dane kissed the curve of her shoulder. It was too hot to work, and they already had done it twice that afternoon. She reached behind her and righted her apron, accidentally brushing the front of his pants. He moaned suggestively, and she giggled again.
“I need my bonnet.”
“But if I give it to you, you’ll leave.”
“I have to go. I promised my mother I would help her.”
He sighed and handed it to her. After she had her hair properly tucked away, he kissed her. He was reluctant to let her leave. If she left he would actually have to get some work done. Hesitantly, he let her go and picked up his hammer. When he heard a gasp at the door he turned.
Maggie was standing face-to-face with Grace, who was holding a picnic basket. “Hey, Grace,” Dane gree
ted, but Grace was only staring at Maggie.
“You must be Magdalene,” she finally said. “Well…I can see you have been really helping Dane with his improvements.”
It only took one quick glance into Gracie’s mind to see that she had read Maggie’s thoughts and seen what they had been doing. “Gracie, wait,” he said, stepping out of the barn. “It isn’t what you think—”
“Oh, no, Dane Foster, it is definitely not what I thought. What a fool you have made out of me. Well, you enjoy your new friend, because our friendship is over.”
She dropped the basket and ran away, faster than he had ever seen her move. He cursed.
“Who was that, Dane?”
“My friend, Gracie. I…I gotta go, Maggie. I’ll…I’ll see you around.” He turned and quickly cleaned up his tools in case it rained. Maggie watched him, but he said nothing else. Once he had everything tucked away, he nodded at her apologetically and headed home. His mind had not stopped replaying the expression on Gracie’s face.
Chapter 35
It was hot. Too hot to eat. Too hot to work. So Cain had stayed in bed with the shades drawn and the breezeless, muggy air clinging to the space around him, which was not a safe place to be. His bed was where he thought and when he thought, he always thought about the same person. Destiny.
He had no answers. There was never any news telling him if she was now married or a mother. He hoped she was happy, but couldn’t shake the sense that she was not.
Hot, damp hours passed as the sun climbed in the bone-white sky over the farm. Perhaps he should ride into town and watch the news. However, when he sometimes did that, it only made him feel worse, made the ache inside somehow more than the ever-present abyss that gnawed at him every waking moment of his life.
A door slammed and then another. He frowned. His parents were in town. Gracie had left to bring Dane a picnic and check how his new house was coming along. There was a loud bang from the kitchen. Cain needed to see who was in his house. He stood and found his pants, and cabinets slammed below.
“Adam?” he called only to be answered with a loud crash of dishes. “Anna?” He climbed down the steps and froze when he saw Gracie making a disaster on the counter and sobbing. “Grace?”